夜盗

Before Oliver had time to look round, Sikes had caught him under the arms; and in three or four seconds he and Toby were lying on the grass on the other side. Sikes followed directly. And they stole cautiously1) towards the house.

And now, for the first time, Oliver, well-nigh2) mad with grief and terror, saw that housebreaking and robbery, if not murder, were the objects of the expedition3). He clasped his hands together, and involuntarily uttered a subdued4) exclamation of horror. A mist came before his eyes5); the cold sweat stood upon his ashy face; his limbs failed him; and he sank upon his knees. "Get up!" murmured Sikes, trembling with rage, and drawing the pistol from his pocket, "Get up, or I'll strew6) your brains7) upon the grass."

"Oh! For god's sake, let me go!" cried Oliver,"Let me run away and die in the fields. I will never come near London; never, never! Oh! Pray8) have mercy on me9), and do not make me steal. For the love of all the bright angels that rest in heaven, have mercy upon me!" The man to whom this appeal10) was made, swore a dreadful oath, and had cocked11) the pistol, when Toby, striking it from his grasp, placed his hand upon the boy's mouth, and dragged him to the house.

....  "Take this lantern," said Sikes, looking into the room, "You see the stairs afore12) you?" Oliver, more dead than alive13), gasped out, "Yes." Sikes, pointing to the street-door with the pistol-barrel, briefly advised him to take notice that he was within shot all the way14); and that if he faltered15), he would fall dead that instant. "It's done in a minute," said Sikes, in the same low whisper, "Directly I leave go of you. Do your work. Hark16)!" "What's that?" whispered the other man. They listened intently. "Nothing," said Sikes, releasing his hold of Oliver, "Now!"

In the short time he had had to collect his senses, the boy had firmly resolved that, whether he died in the attempt or not, he would make one effort to dart upstairs from the hall, and alarm the family. Filled with this idea, he advanced at once, but stealthily17).  "Come back!" suddenly cried Sikes aloud. "Back! Back!" Scared by the sudden breaking of the dead stillness of the place, and by a loud cry which followed it, Oliver let his lantern fall, and knew not whether to advance or fly18).

没等奥利弗来得及看看四周,赛克斯就已经把他夹在了胳膊下,三四秒后,他和托比已经躺在了围墙里边的草地上,赛克斯也紧跟着跳了进来。三个人蹑手蹑脚地朝那所房子走去。

奥利弗这才明白过来,这次远行的目的即便不是谋杀,也是入室抢劫,伤心和恐惧几乎让他发疯。他双手紧握在一起,情不自禁地发出一声压抑的惊叫。他眼前一片模糊,惨白的脸上直冒冷汗,两条腿怎么也不听使唤,一下子跪倒在地上。"起来!"赛克斯气得直哆嗦,从衣袋里掏出手枪,低声喝道,"起来,不然我叫你脑浆溅到草地上。"

"啊!看在上帝的分上,放了我吧!"奥利弗哭叫着,"放我走,让我死在野地里吧。我再也不靠近伦敦了,再也不了,永远都不了!啊!求求你们可怜可怜我,别让我去偷东西。看在天国所有光明天使之爱的分上,可怜可怜我吧!"那个听了这番请求的家伙恶狠狠地骂了一句,扣上了扳机。这时,托比一把打掉他手中的枪,用一只手捂住男孩的嘴,拖着他往那所房子走去。

……  "拿上这盏灯,"赛克斯朝屋子里望了望说,"看见你前面的楼梯没有?"吓得全身发软的奥利弗好不容易说了一声"看见了"。赛克斯用枪口指了指当街的大门,简略地提醒奥利弗留神,他始终处于射程之内,要是他胆敢畏缩不前,立刻就叫他毙命。"这事一分钟就办妥了,"赛克斯的嗓门依然压得很低,"我一放手,你就去。听!""怎么啦?"另一个家伙低声说。他们紧张地听了听。"没事,"赛克斯说着,放开了奥利弗,"开始!"

在这一会儿的功夫,奥利弗恢复了知觉。他拿定主意,一定要奋力从门厅冲上楼去,向这家人报警,哪怕因此送命也在所不惜。主意已定,他立刻轻手轻脚地朝前走去。 "回来!"赛克斯猝然大叫起来,"回来!快回来!"四周死一般的沉寂突然被打破了,紧接着是一声高喊,奥利弗吓得连手里的灯都掉了,不知道究竟该上前,还是该逃走。

1.cautiously] adv. 谨慎地,小心地 2.well-nigh  adv. 几乎,可谓 3.expedition [7ekspI5dIFEn] n. 远征,出行

4.subdued [sEb5djJd] adj. 被抑制的,减弱的

5.a mist came before his eyes: 来自习语a mist before one's eyes,意思是"眼前一片模糊"

6.strew [stru:] vt. 散播,点缀,撒满

7.brain [breIn] n. 复数形式,常表示"脑髓,脑浆"

8.pray: 意思是"请求"文中此处实际上是"I pray you"的省略

9.have mercy on sb.: 对某人表示怜悯 10.appeal [E5pI:l] n. 请求,呼吁  11.cock v. 扣扳机(准备发射)

12.afore prep. 在……前

13.more dead than alive: 惯用语,意思是:身体非常疲弱

14.all the way: 自始至终,一路上 15.falter v. 迟疑,动摇,畏缩 16.hark [vi. 听(常用于命令)

17.stealthily [5stelWIlI] adv. 偷偷地,暗中地

18.fly [flaI] v. 逃离,逃跑